Mirabai - Part 1
by AmberAlyssa
Summary: Mirabai Palmer is new to Hogwarts after being forced to move from Australia. But as the secrets of her past unravel, will her stay at Hogwarts be as enjoyable as she hopes? *cont. I used a lot of detail, I think. Its more like a book. lmao*
1. Default Chapter

~I own nothing but the plot, Mirabai Palmer, Avery, Aunt Phoebe, Uncle Tom, and the idea of the Triniti Wizards. Everything else, of course, belongs to J.K Rowling, and Mirabai's power was inspired by Piper's from Charmed. Steal my idea and I will have to kill you. Have a nice day. =)~  
  
It was a cool, but windy day as the girl stepped off the train and on to the gray station. There was a noticeable change in the weather since she had first boarded the plane back at her old home, and she noticed vaguely that the sky was now grey.  
  
Looking around, she caught sight of her reflection in a large nearby window. She surveyed herself through her anxious looking eyes...She took in her very long, very dark brown hair, that almost reached her waist, and the dark purple streaks she had put through it with magic. Her eyes were big and dark blue, and - in the right light - they shined purple, and her full lips were closed over her straight white teeth. She examined her clothing...a pair of dark blue hipster jeans and a black filly top that sat just off her shoulders, allowing some of her stomach to show underneath.  
  
Very quickly, she averted her gaze from her reflection on the window to the busy, swarming crowd in front of her, who were moving as one, trying to get to their destination, and for the first time in months, she felt scared...worried...almost - lost. The shock of everything had had recently been happening to her suddenly sunk in.  
  
It was like somebody had pasted a movie of her recent life over her eyes, like a sudden flash back through time...the flash of green light...the crying...the funeral...then the official looking man - the man who told her that her life had changed forever. 'You're not safe her any more,' he had told her, 'and neither are the ones around you. I'm afraid you're going to have to leave.' She remembered the way she didn't cry, she didn't even flinch. She just starred, the words reaching her ears but hardly making sense.  
  
A train whistle blew in the distance and she snapped suddenly back to the present.  
  
With a slight jolt, she remember why she was standing at a packed train station with a large number of suitcases at her feet, and a big golden bird cage, in which stood a beautiful white own, under her arm.  
  
With great difficulty, she picked up her luggage and began to walk, slowly and cautiously forward. She was supposed to be meeting her cousin, Avery, a girl whom she had only ever seen photographs of...photographs from her mothers old photo album...The girl shook her head slightly; thinking about her mother was still too painful, it made her want to cry. She had not cried for many years.  
  
She was just starting to worry when the sound of her own name made her spin around on the spot.  
  
'Mirabai! Mirabai! Over here!'  
  
There they were, waving at her frantically and positively beaming.  
  
Avery was easily recognizable, having had dyed her hair a dark blue, and standing at almost 5'10. She towered over the older lady next to her, who was an average height and had a mop a frizzy brown hair. She too, was waving, and smiling.  
  
Relieved as she was, to finally be meeting her cousin and Aunt Phoebe, Mirabai couldn't help but feel slightly nervous as she made her way over, struggling under the weight of her suitcases. Twice she almost dropped the birdcage, which made her owl screech angrily, and she almost lost the whole lot as Avery smothered her in a tight one-armed hug.  
  
When they broke apart, Mirabai was able to see her aunt and cousin in full detail. Avery, she knew already, was only a few months older then she was - about 15 years and 3 months, she figured. Her face was youthful and pretty, but her eyes - Mirabai noticed that one was dark brown - almost black, and the other was a dark navy blue. She was wearing a white top, over which she had a black jumper, so the white could be seen coming out the sleeves and the collar. She had a black mini skirt on, and black boots that went up to her knees. Around her neck was a black choker, and she was wearing heavy mascara and eyeliner.  
  
Aunt Phoebe, on the other hand, had bright blue eyes and quite a few wrinkles, but her smile was warm and it made her look a lot younger than she probably was. She was dressed in a long bottle green robe - the kind that the teachers used to wear at her, Mirabai's, old school - that attracted a lot of attention from the passer by. Aunt Phoebe, it seemed, didn't care, or just didn't notice. She was looking at Mirabai through her bright eyes, examining her with a look of both happiness and - was it pity?  
  
'Hello, dear,'  
  
she finally said, as she bent down to pick up one of Mirabai's suitcases.  
  
'I hope you had a good trip. Come along to the car. I'm afraid you wont be seeing our house this summer, we're staying with our friends, the Grangers. I'm afraid it cant be helped, but I'm sure you'll get along with everyone all the same.'  
  
Once again, Mirabai felt that unwelcome feeling that had been haunting her since she arrived slip into her stomach like an ice-cube. She didn't want to stay at her aunts, let alone another families, but she smiled anyway and reluctantly followed the backs of her new-found relatives.  
  
*  
  
After some difficulty, all of Mirabai's packages had been squeezed into the boot of the old Puegeot 505, and she had found herself sitting in the back seat, between her cousin and a strange girl who had extremely bushy hair.  
  
Mirabai's owl, Europa, was still in her cage, which Mirabai was holding on her knee, and Aunt Phoebe was in the front seat, driving a little more dangerously then Mirabai liked.  
  
It was now that Avery broke the silence that filled the speeding car.  
  
'Uh, Mirabai - this is my friend Hermione Granger. Ouch! -'  
  
Aunt Phoebe had driven over a speed hump a little too fast, which caused everyone in the car to bounce and hit their heads on the roof.  
  
'Hi!,' Replied Hermione, holding her head where she had hit it, but smiling all the same.  
  
'Its nice to meet you finally. Avery's been really excited about having you stay.'  
  
Mirabai smiled in reply. She wasn't exactly sure how to reply to that statement, so she cast around for something else to say.  
  
'Oh...where - where do you live?'  
  
She suddenly had to grab her owl cage as Aunt Phoebe turned sharply around a corner. Europa let out an angry screech, that made Avery jump.  
  
'Not far from here,'  
  
Hermione replied, leaning over slightly to peer through the front window.  
  
'We should be there soon, though.' There were a few moment pause before,  
  
'Is this your owl? She's pretty.' Hermione poked her fingers through the bars of the birdcage and tried to stroke Europa's white feathers, but Europa screeched loudly again and Hermione quickly withdrew her hand from the cage.  
  
'Ow! She bit me!'  
  
Hermione exclaimed, examining her finger closely.  
  
'Oh, oh yeah - I'm really sorry,'  
  
Mirabai replied, snapping to her senses.  
  
'Europa doesn't trust anyone but me, I'm so sorry, it slipped my mind. I found her when she was a baby. Her old owners didn't want her, so they left her to die in their backyard. I couldn't just leave her there, so I jumped their fence and I took her home with me. I took care of her even after everybody told me that she wouldn't survive...but here she is.'  
  
Mirabai paused for a moment to smile at her owl, before adding,  
  
'She's a great pet, too...a little - uh - grumpy but...she's one of my best friends.'  
  
Again, there was a silence that filled the speeding car, but this time Mirabai could sense the tension.  
  
'Oh, god, look at me,'  
  
Mirabai smiled at Avery,  
  
'pouring my little heart out to my new-found cousin and her friend.'  
  
They all laughed a little, and the tension in the air vanished almost instantly. The next second, the car skidded to a halt in front of a gleaming white, two story house.  
  
*  
  
Mirabai had never been inside a nicer house. It was spotlessly clean, and a little boring, but it gave Mirabai the impression of a happy family, and everyone inside it seemed to like her. Mr and Mrs Granger welcomed Mirabai to their home with a huge block of Honeydukes chocolate and an extra hug from Mrs Granger, which made her feel a little awkward, but pleased all the same. Her Uncle Ton, smiling broadly, swooped down and kissed her on each cheek.  
  
It took a while before Mirabai, Avery and Hermione were able to make their way upstairs into Hermiones room, but they were all glad when they did.  
  
Hermione collapsed onto the single bed in the middle of the room, and Avery heaved herself into an empty armchair. Mirabai, on the other hand, stayed standing and let Europa out of her cage, who fluttered over to the large open window on the opposite wall, and settled herself on the window sill.  
  
Hermiones room was rather large, and it had obviously been a former attic, hence the sloping ceiling. The walls her white, the carpet was a light blue, while the bed covers and curtains were all a creamy yellow colour. The bed was in the middle of the room, right underneath the large window, and there stood a huge wooden bookcase along the left wall. On the opposite wall stood a wooden dressing table, topped with a huge gold-rimmed mirror, and next to that, two white doors that presumably led to Hermiones wardrobe.  
  
Hermiones wand was one the dressing table, and Hermiones cat, Crookshanks, was curled up on the end of the bed, his squashed orange head fixed on Europa on the windowsill.  
  
*  
  
By the time dinner was announced, Mirabai felt much closer to both Avery and Hermione. They had whittled away the hours 'till darkness, lying on Hermiones floor over pillows and cushions, laughing loudly and talking almost non-stop.  
  
Hermione and Avery wasted no time in filling Mirabai in about Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the magical school that they both attended, and were about to start their fifth year at.  
  
'Oh, you just wait,'  
  
Avery had said,  
  
'you're gonna love Hogwarts. Its supposed to be the best magical school around-'  
  
'- better than Durmstrang' Hermione interrupted.  
  
'-Yeah, and way better that Beauxbatons in France-'  
  
'-definitely. And we have the best headmaster ever-'  
  
'-Good ol' Dumbledore' Avery sighed.  
  
'Oh! I've heard of him!' Mirabai exclaimed suddenly. 'Isn't he supposed to be a bit - uh -'  
  
'Mad?'  
  
Finished Hermione, with a slight smile.  
  
'Yeah, he is a bit mad, but believe me, hes absolutely -'  
  
'Brilliant!' Avery laughed, picking up a pillow and aiming it at Hermiones head. 'Just like you, eh, Herm?'  
  
Avery had to duck as Hermione threw the pillow back.  
  
'Hermiones one of the smartest witches in our year,' Avery told Mirabai. 'Yeah, a real bookworm.'  
  
'Oh, shut up,' scoffed Hermione.  
  
'You could do with taking a leaf out of my book, Miss, I-Only-Passed-Charms- Because-I-Sucked-Up-To-Professor-Flitwick!'  
  
Avery let out a noise of disbelief and threw yet another pillow at Hermione, which missed completely. Mirabai laughed.  
  
'So, tell me about Hogwarts, I'm dying to know about it. I've read a tiny bit about it, of course, but it didn't tell me anywhere near enough. Besides, I have to know a bit about this place if I'm to start there soon.'  
  
'Well, you could always borrow my copy of Hogwarts ; A History if you'd like.'  
  
Hermione said, in a know-it-all sort of voice.  
  
'Don't,' Avery advised,  
  
'It's over one-thousand pages long, you don't wanna go there, trust me.' They all laughed.  
  
'Well, Hogwarts is a really great and interesting place, you know,' said Hermione,  
  
'The history of it goes back over a thousand years. There are four school houses - Gryffindor - that's our house - who are chosen for their bravery and Ravenclaw who are chosen for being all smart and wise. Then there are the Hufflepuffs who are patient, loyal and hardworking, and Slytherin who just...well...'  
  
'-Evil?' Avery interrupted.  
  
'Well, yeah,' Hermione agree, shrugging her shoulders. 'There's not a witch or wizard that went bad who wasn't in Slytherin. Our enemy, Malfoy just happens to be in that house, too.'  
  
'Who?' Asked Mirabai.  
  
'Draco Malfoy,' replied Avery, rolling her eyes.  
  
'But I'm sure you'll have the unfortunate pleasure of meeting him on the Hogwarts Express.'  
  
'The what?'  
  
'Oh, the Hogwarts Express. The big steam train that takes all the students to Hogwarts from platform Nine the Three Quarters.'  
  
Hermione said, matter-of-factly.  
  
'Oh, I see...wait, platform what?!'  
  
Both Avery and Hermione laughed.  
  
'Platform Nine and Three Quarters. A platform hidden from Muggles that only wizards can access by walking through the apparently solid barrier between platforms nine and ten.' Hermione told her, sounding as if she had swallowed a book.  
  
'Oh.'  
  
Mirabai was starting to feel confused. Perhaps this showed on her face, because Avery playfully punched her on the shoulder and said,  
  
'don't worry! You'll be fine!'  
  
'And...and how are you sorted into your house, exactly?'  
  
Mirabai asked, trying to sound casual, but hoping that the sorting didn't involve some sort of test.  
  
'Well, you put on the Sorting Hat...a hat that, uh, talk,' Avery explained, 'You put in on in front of the whole school during the Sorting Ceremony - that's when the first years get sorted - and it decides where to put you and it calls it out. Then you just sit at your house table.'  
  
'And each house have their own common rooms and dormitories,' Hermione said, 'And you have classes with your house, too.'  
  
As the night went on, Hermione and Avery continued to fill Mirabai in on every little detail about Hogwarts that they could remember.  
  
They told her about the teachers ('watch out for Snape, the potions master. He is an evil, evil man,) and the secret passages. They told her all about Hogsmeade, the entirely magical town, and even Hagrid, the friendly half giant.  
  
Mirabai could help but feel extremely excited as she listened to Hermione tell her stories of all the dangerous stuff that her and her friends had gotten into.  
  
Mirabai, in return, told Hermione and Avery all about her old magical school - The Australian Capital School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She told them everything there was to know; her friends, her robes and the classes, the teachers, everything down to the weather. In fact, she didn't stop talking until she reached the point in her life when her father was...when he was killed by...then her mother a few years later.  
  
Hermione and Avery must have senses that something was wrong, because they quickly changed the subject to Quidditch. 


	2. Mirabai - Part 2

~I own nothing but the plot, Mirabai Palmer, Avery, Aunt Phoebe, Uncle Tom, and the idea of the Triniti Wizards. Everything else, of course, belongs to J.K Rowling, and Mirabai's power was inspired by Piper's from Charmed. Steal my idea and I will have to kill you. Have a nice day. =)~  
  
Dinner that night was an extremely enjoyable experience for the most part. Mrs Granger had cooked up a delicious three course meal ('And you did it all without magic, you say?' Uncle Tom said, in awe.) and Mirabai, Avery, the Grangers, Uncle Tom and Aunt Phoebe all sat around the large wooden table in the dining room, munching on the excellent food and chatting away happily.  
  
Next to her, Avery and Hermione were talking loudly about the Weird Sisters, one of the wizarding music groups, while Aunt Phoebe and Mrs Granger gossipped away happily, and discussed what they both did for a living. (Both of Hermiones parents were Muggle dentists.)  
  
Uncle Tom and Mr Granger, on the other hand, were arguing seriously about a recent article from the Daily Prophet, the popular wizard newspaper.  
  
As Mirabai chewed happily on her vegetables, she realised that she hadn't felt this relaxed, this happy and carefree for months now. It was a nice feeling, sitting there around a table with a group of people who all seemed to care for her, despite the fact that she had only just entered their lives.  
  
Suddenly, Avery let out a loud laugh, knocked her glass of the table and made Mirabai jump with fright. But something was wrong. It took Mirabai maybe a second to realise that everyone around the table had ceased talking - in fact, that had ceased to move at all.  
  
They were all frozen - Avery was frozen in mid laugh. Mr Granger had his mouth open, full of food, with his fork still raised, and the glass that Avery had knocked to the floor was frozen, the shards of glass hanging in mid air.  
  
Mirabai felt panic wash over her, her mouth dry, heart thumping, and hands shaking. It had been a long time since she had lost control and frozen something like that. She had hoped that if she just stopped using her power, it would just go away, sort if...die. But even after fifteen years, Mirabai was still getting used to control it.  
  
There was a sudden swishing noise, and the people around her began to move, as though they had never been frozen in the first place.  
  
The glass smashed, Mr Granger chewed his food, Aunt Phoebe scowled at Avery for smashing that glass, and Hermione rushed off to get a cloth to clean the mess. None of them seemed to have realised that they had been temporarily frozen, but went on as they normally would have done.  
  
Mirabai, on the other hand, couldn't breathe, or think straight. Her breaths were coming in sharp and short bursts, her whole body seemed to be shaking as if it were make of jelly and she could feel a cold sweat breaking out on her forehead. She had frozen time again, after almost four years, she had frozen time.  
  
'Mirabai!'  
  
Avery's voice seemed so far away.  
  
Mirabai jumped, and with great difficulty, pulled herself to her senses.  
  
'Wow, you don't look so good. Are you OK?'  
  
'Mirabai dear, you're so pale...and you're burning up.'  
  
Aunt Phoebe had rushed to her side and felt her forehead with the back of her hand.  
  
'Do you want to lie down a while?'  
  
But Mirabai's throat had seem to have closed up, and she couldn't answer. She merely nodded, and carefully pushed herself out of her chair. Her legs still felt weak and shaken, and she noticed that everyone around the table had stopped to look at her curiously.  
  
Avery looked a little scared, and Hermione had her hands over her mouth. Mirabai tried to tell them 'I'm fine' but the words got lost in her throat, and died before they could come out.  
  
The truth was, Mirabai thought, as she climbed the stairs to Hermiones room a few minutes later, she wasn't fine. She would never be fine! She was a freak, and her stupid power was the reason she didn't have any parents!  
  
*  
  
Mirabai couldn't sleep that night, but pretended to be asleep with Hermione and Avery clamoured into bed hours later.  
  
She tossed and turned uncomfortably, her mind filled with the horrible memories of her past. Every now and then, she would fall into a shallow sleep, only to jerk awake again after a re-occurring nightmare, a cold sweat on her forehead.  
  
This was the nightmare that had been haunting her sleep for almost five long years now, the one about her parents - both of them, together again, smiling and hugging her. Then came a strong, sudden flash of green light and a rushing sound, that stopped just as quickly as it had come and her father was gone. Her mother would then scream and hold Mirabai, shielding her from something that Mirabai could only sense, but not see, when the blinding green light re-appeared and her Mother, too, was gone.  
  
*  
  
It was almost one in the afternoon when Mirabai woke to find Hermiones room deserted, and flooded with light, despite the sky being overcast and grey. She had finally fallen asleep at around dawn that morning, when the birds had started twittering madly, and the first rays of sun had begun to creep up.  
  
Europa, Mirabai noticed, was perched on the end of Avery's camp bed, with a letter clutched in her beak, and another held in her claw. She silently fluttered down, dropped the letters in Mirabai's lap and took of again through the open window, clearly wanting to get a good nights sleep.  
  
The first was a letter from Hogwarts, written in green ink and addressed to Mirabai Palmer, second floor bedroom and followed by Hermiones address. Inclosed was a letter which told her to take the Hogwarts Express from Kings Cross station at Platform Nine and Three Quarters on September the first. Also included was a list of her school supplies.  
  
The second was a short and untidy message, scrawled on a crumpled piece of parchment that simply said,  
  
'Hello Dear, Your Uncle and I have gone into Diagon Alley with Mr Granger to buy all of your school things. We're also going to create your own Gringotts back account with the money your parents left for you. We do hope you're feeling better. Love, Aunt Phoebe. Xxx'  
  
Mirabai felt slightly disappointed, she had been so looking forward to shopping in Diagon Alley, for she had read so much about it, but she had never so much as seen it before.  
  
She dressed quickly into a pair of light blue jeans and a navy jumper, before pulling her long dark hair into a single pony tail, and headed down stairs for a spot of late breakfast. But all she found when she came down were two more owls (a handsome tawny one, and an old grey one) each clutching a letter in their beaks.  
  
The letter from the tawny owl was for Mirabai, from Hermione. It said,  
  
'Hi Mirabai!  
  
I'm so sorry that no one is home right now...we waited for you to wake up for almost two hours, but you just kept on sleeping. My Mum is at work, and my Dad has gone with your Aunt and Uncle to buy all of our school things. We really wanted to come, but instead, we were forced to shop for groceries. I think Avery is a little over-excited about going to the supermarket - she's never been to one before. Help yourself to whatever food you like, and you're welcome to take a shower if you like. We'll be back home around 2. Luv, Hermione.'  
  
The other letter was from somebody called Ron, so Mirabai just scanned the first line.  
  
'Hi Hermione.  
  
Harry arrived yesterday, and no, we didn't fly another car to get to him. Anyway, any chance of meeting you in Diagon Alley on Thursday?...'  
  
Vaguely, she wondered if the Harry mentioned in the letter was Harry Potter, and if Hermione had mentioned anyone called Ron, but the thoughts were driven out of her mind as the two owls flew away, and she decided to take a shower.  
  
*  
  
The next few weeks at Hermiones house were highly enjoyable, and in what seemed like no time at all, it was the night before September the first. Rain was lashing down against the windows in heavy sheets, and the occasional streak of lightning flashed outside.  
  
Mirabai, Avery and Hermione were packing their school trunks in front of the raging fire in the lounge, chatting excitedly about the next day, when they would at last be going off to Hogwarts. It was almost 11 o'clock that night when Mrs Granger shooed them all off to bed.  
  
'You all have a huge day ahead of you tomorrow - no, Hermione, it's late enough already! Now off you go, and I don't want to come up there to tell you three to be quiet like I always do. Just get some sleep and I'll wake you up tomorrow morning, bright and early.'  
  
Hermione and Avery, muttering darkly, turned to leave, but Mirabai, remembering that her wand was still in the kitchen said,  
  
'I'll be up in a minute, ok?' And she dashed down the hall, past the guest room and into the kitchen.  
  
It was only after Mirabai had rescued her wand from Crookshanks that she heard the angry voices coming from the guest room. She edged closer to the door, which was slightly ajar, and recognised her Aunts and Uncles voices. Uncle Tom was speaking, and it sounded as though he was trying to keep his voice down.  
  
'Damn it, Phoebe, do you realise how much danger she's putting us all in?'  
  
He hissed, 'You know what she is! You heard what happened to her parents!'  
  
'Of course I knew - her mother was my sister, Tom!' Snapped Aunt Phoebe.  
  
'Look, I don't think you quite understand me. While she stays here with us, we are all in danger. We all run the risk of getting blown -'  
  
'For goodness sakes, Tom! You can be so selfish sometimes!'  
  
Exploded Aunt Phoebe. 'What were we supposed to do? She had no-one else left in Australia! The poor girls parents were killed, and you don't seem to care about that at all! She-had-no-where-else-to-go!'  
  
There was a short pause, before,  
  
'I don't think she really knows just how lucky she is. The poor dear. She seems so strong. Besides, Tom, she's going off to Hogwarts tomorrow where she'll be under the protection of Albus Dumbledore. I've written to him explaining everything that's happened recently, and he's agreed to look after her. The man has been protecting Harry Potter for five years, and he's protected Triniti before.'  
  
'I just don't know, Phoebe. Her parents died trying to protect her...what if the same thing happens to us?'  
  
Uncle Tom didn't seem so angry any more. ' All I know is that there are some extremely evil people out there who have already tried to hurt her. And, I mean, I know she's supposed to have this - this power to protect herself with, but she cant even control it yet, you know that Phoebe. Besides, Triniti wizards are supposed to be extremely rare and coveted.'  
  
'I know that, Tom, and I'm sure that in time, she'll learn to control her power. It just may be difficult for her right now - a Triniti's powers are tied to their emotions, and with all she's been through recently...'  
  
Aunt Phoebe's voice trailed off and there were a few moments of silence. 'Anyway, lets just try to get some sleep, we'll deal with this tomorrow.'  
  
Something stirred in the back of Mirabai's mind. Just try to get some sleep. She remembered, when she was little, her Mother and Father would tuck her in at night...  
  
'Mummy, don't turn out the light! The monsters!'  
  
'Hush, Mirabai. The monsters cant hurt you while Daddy and I are here, remember?'  
  
'I know, but they're scary!'  
  
'Honey, remember what Mummy told you to do whenever you're scared?'  
  
'Yes...I should close my eyes tight, like this...and think of you and Daddy very hard.'  
  
'That's right sweetie. If you do that, all of your fears will all disappear, and you'll be brave enough to fight the monsters without us. Now just try to get some sleep.'  
  
Mirabai suddenly snapped back to the present, realised why she was standing in the hallway, and remembered, with a jolt, the conversation she had just overheard...  
  
'her parents died trying to protect her...'  
  
'There are some extremely evil people out there who have already tried to hurt her...'  
  
'She be under the protection of Albus Dumbledore...'  
  
Th words swirled around in her mind, while her mind itself seemed to be sagging under the weight of them all. 


	3. Mirabai - Part 3

~I own nothing but the plot, Mirabai Palmer, Avery, Aunt Phoebe, Uncle Tom, and the idea of the Triniti Wizards. Everything else, of course, belongs to J.K Rowling, and Mirabai's power was inspired by Piper's from Charmed. Steal my idea and I will have to kill you. Have a nice day. =)~  
  
The next day, however, Mirabai had no time at all to dwell on her very confused thoughts.  
  
From the moment Mrs Granger had shaken her awake early that morning, things seemed very rushed indeed. The three girls ate a hot breakfast in the kitchen as the wind howled and the rain bucketed down outside.  
  
They dressed quickly into their casual clothes ('We always get changed into our uniform on the Express' Avery had told her.')  
  
Mirabai hardly had time to feel very nervous as she forced a very grumpy Europa into her cage, while Hermione chased Crookshanks around her bedroom and Avery double-checked for anything they might have left behind.  
  
It was only when the three girls, the luggage, Aunt Phoebe and Mrs Granger were all packed into Hermiones car that Mirabai really started to feel anxious.  
  
Mrs Granger was a very slow driver, compared to Aunt Phoebe at least, and it took almost forty-five minutes to finally arrive at Kings Cross station, and pack all of their luggage onto separate trolleys.  
  
Europa was sitting in her cage on top of Mirabai's trunk, screeching loudly and attracting quite a lot of attention from the Muggles hurrying past.  
  
There was no denying it - now that the were at the station, pushing trolleys toward Platform Nine and Three Quarters and about to take the Hogwarts Express, Mirabai felt unmistakably nervous. She was silently grateful to already know Hermione and Avery; she wouldn't fancy having to take the train all by herself.  
  
'Ahh,'  
  
sighed Avery, with a huge grin,  
  
'Mirabai, I give you Platform Nine and Three Quarters!'  
  
They were standing between two platforms, facing a metal barrier with Platform Nine on their left and Platform Ten to their right. A large group of Muggles pushed by as Aunt Phoebe said,  
  
'Well girls, this is where we leave you. Now, you're all OK to get onto the platform, aren't you?'  
  
'Of course, Mum' grinned Avery, rolling her eyes, 'We've only been doing it for five years.'  
  
'Well have a great term then, wont you all? And do try to get better marks this year, Avery.'  
  
She hugged her daughter goodbye, as Hermione said her goodbyes to her mother. Aunt Phoebe gave Mirabai an extra hug and added,  
  
'Look after yourself, OK? You'll simply love Hogwarts, I promise.'  
  
And with one last smile and a hug, both Aunt Phoebe and Mrs Granger disappeared with a small 'pop.' Amazingly, none of the Muggles around them seemed to notice.  
  
The three girls pulled their trolleys around to face the metal barrier that was the secret entrance to Platform Nine and Three Quarters.  
  
'Its easy enough to get onto the platform,' Avery told Mirabai,' Just run straight toward the barrier and you'll get through - here, watch me, I'll go first. Then you come straight after me, ok?'  
  
Mirabai nodded once to show that she understood, and stood back to allow Avery to line her trolley up with the barrier. Slowly, she watched as Avery ran toward the barrier, slowly gathering speed, when suddenly - she wasn't there any more.  
  
Mirabai shook her head slightly, and looked uncertainly at Hermione, who gave her a reassuring smile and said,  
  
'As long as you have magic in your blood, you'll get through. Go on.'  
  
So Mirabai lined up her own trolley, just as Avery had done, and broke into a slow jog, praying that there wasn't some horrible mistake and she wouldn't just bounce straight off the barrier again...five feet away, and she gathered speed, shut her eyes and waited for the crash.  
  
But the crash never came, and Mirabai kept on running. Finally, she re- opened her eyes carefully, to see the biggest steam train she had ever seen in her life - the scarlet Hogwarts Express. Through the steam, she could hear owls hooting, and she could see the dark figures that were other Hogwarts students. She felt herself smile.  
  
Seconds later, Hermione had materialised behind her, looked slightly flustered. But as her eyes fell onto the huge steam train in front of them, her smile grew broader, just as Mirabai's had done seconds before.  
  
Mirabai didn't know where Avery had gone, but a moment later, they heard her voice calling from one of the carriages, and they both followed the sound of it through the mist.  
  
*  
  
Ten minutes later, Mirabai, Hermione, and Avery had all stored their luggage into a spare compartment half way along the train, and were now sitting quietly, waiting for the journey to start.  
  
Hermione was just wondering aloud where her two friends Harry and Ron were, when the compartment door slid open and three people entered - two of which had bright red hair and freckles, the other with dazzling green eyes and untidy black hair.  
  
Hermione sighed annoyingly, but she was smiling all the same.  
  
'You three certainly took your time. I was beginning to wonder if you were flying to school again, but as if you'd be so stupid two times in a row. Did you have a good holiday?'  
  
The first red-haired boy rolled his eyes as the rest of the strangers filled the empty seat opposite them.  
  
'Our holidays were ok. Why didn't you meet us in Diagon Alley? I wrote to you asking if you wanted to come, but you never replied. Hey, who is she?'  
  
The boy had just spotted Mirabai sitting in the corner, next to the window.  
  
'Ron!' Hermione snapped,  
  
'Don't be so rude! This is Mirabai Palmer, she's Avery's cousin and she's new here. Mirabai, this is Ron Weasley, his sister Ginny and Harry Potter.'  
  
'You look a little old to be a first year?' Ginny asked, curiously.  
  
'Oh, that's because I'm not,' Mirabai replied, smiling. 'I'm a fifth year, I came from a magical school in Australia.'  
  
'Wow! Was it nice there? Do you miss it? Why did you move?' Ginny asked, starring at Mirabai in awe. Mirabai grinned.  
  
'Yes, it was extremely nice there and I miss it so much already.'  
  
She chose not to reveal just why she had moved away to a person she had just met. She's probably just end up scaring Ginny away if she attempted to explain her long, dark and complicating past.  
  
Mirabai looked suddenly up at the dark haired boy and realised, with a jolt, that he was starring at her. She felt her ears go red behind her hair. The truth was, Mirabai was really looking forward to meeting Harry. She knew his story, everybody did. She knew how he, too, had no parents, how they both had been killed trying to protect him. It seemed almost embarrassing to admit it even to herself, but she was desperately hoping that Harry would really understand how she felt. Maybe they could even be friends.  
  
Therefor, Mirabai wanted to make a good first impression. She imagined how annoying it would be for Harry, to have people starring at his scar whenever they saw him, and Mirabai didn't want to be one of those people.  
  
Instead, she starred into Harry's green eyes behind his round glasses, and smiled slightly. He smiled back, before saying,  
  
'Its really nice to meet you. Do you know what house you'll be in yet?'  
  
'Oh, um, no, not yet...but I'm hoping for Gryffindor. You're all in Gryffindor, aren't you?'  
  
'Yep'  
  
Ron replied through a mouthful of chocolate frog. Hermione made a tutting noise and said, 'Ron! Don't talk with your mouth full, its bad manners, you know!'  
  
'What?!' Ron replied angrily,  
  
'She asked us a question! Which do you think is ruder,' he swallowed his chocolate with difficulty and continued to talk,  
  
'talking with my mouth full, or just ignoring Mirabai completely?'  
  
Suddenly, there was a soft hissing noise, and slowly, the train began to move. 


	4. Mirabai - Part 4

~I own nothing but the plot, Mirabai Palmer, Avery, Aunt Phoebe, Uncle Tom, and the idea of the Triniti Wizards. Everything else, of course, belongs to J.K Rowling, and Mirabai's power was inspired by Piper's from Charmed. Steal my idea and I will have to kill you. Have a nice day. =)~  
  
The journey to Hogwarts took almost all day, but Mirabai thoroughly enjoyed the time spent with Hermione, Avery, Harry, Ron and Ginny.  
  
She also met a whole bunch of other Hogwarts students; Neville Longbottom, who tripped over Harry's feet as soon as he entered their compartment, Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, two fellow fifth year Gryffindors, Justin Finch-Fletchy from Hufflepuff, and Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown, both Gryffindors, who asked Mirabai questions about her Australia till lunch time ('you have a beautiful name.' They told her, 'What does it mean exactly?' 'It means poetic, artistic.') when they were interrupted by the lunch lady.  
  
But Mirabai's least favourite visitor of the day was at the end of the journey.  
  
For about the hundredth time that day, the compartment door slid open again, but, judging by the looks on everyone's faces, these three visitors were about as welcome as rotten eggs.  
  
Standing at the door was a boy of average height, who had silver-blonde hair and a pointed face. Beside him stood two more large and stupid looking boys, who both seemed like bodyguards for the blonde boy.  
  
'Oh, I do feel sorry for the people in this compartment,'  
  
he said, in a cold, drawling voice. Mirabai noticed his eyes flick from one person to another.  
  
'You see, there's Potter, who has no parents...Weasley, who has no money...and Granger, who has no family pride. It's a little depressing actually.'  
  
He smirked as the two bodyguards snickered stupidly beside him.  
  
'Do you want something, Malfoy?' Asked Harry, managing to keep his voice cool but glaring at him from where he sat.  
  
Malfoy smirked again, and his eyes fell onto Mirabai in the corner.  
  
'Who're you?'  
  
He demanded, taking a sudden step backwards. Mirabai, in reply, rolled her eyes and said,  
  
'Mirabai...and I'm guessing you're that spine-less little git that everyone's been telling me about?'  
  
Harry, Ron and Avery all burst out laughing, while the boys bodyguards flexed their muscles menacingly.  
  
Malfoy's smirk faded for an instant, but quickly returned again as he said,  
  
'I've heard about you. You're that Palmer girl, the freak,'  
  
he said smugly.  
  
'My Father's told me all about you, how Dumbledore has to look after you too, now. From what I've heard, you and Potter ought to get on well together. I mean, you both have no parents, you both live with your Aunt and Uncle, and you're both...well...pathetic.'  
  
Mirabai jumped suddenly to her feet, the same time as Harry and Ron, but she felt two pairs of hands grab the back of her jumper, and turned around to see Hermione and Avery holding her back.  
  
They were obviously worried that she would jump on Malfoy and hit him, which didn't seem like such a bad idea at the time.  
  
Mirabai didn't know how she could feel so much hatred for one person in such little time...she could feel herself shaking with anger and the blood pounding in her ears, but she wasn't the only one. Harry also had to hold Ron back, as he lunged toward Malfoy, his hands outstretched.  
  
'Ron, don't,' Harry said, warningly, giving Ron a meaningful look.  
  
'Shove off, Malfoy,' Ron growled.  
  
And with one last satisfied smirk, Malfoy and his two bodyguards turned and left.  
  
'I hate him!'  
  
Ron burst out savagely, once the compartment door was securely closed again.  
  
'I'm sorry he was so mean to you on your first day, Mirabai. Hes always like that.'  
  
Mirabai shrugged.  
  
'Its ok, I can handle it.' She told them.  
  
'Well that's all good and everything, but what did he mean when he called you a freak?' Avery asked Mirabai.  
  
Her parents obviously hadn't told her about Mirabai's secret yet, but she was grateful for that.  
  
Mirabai shrugged again, hoping that she looked casual, because everyone inside their compartment was watching her every move closely, as if trying to read her mind. There was a minutes silence, where the only noise heard was the train racketing along the track, and the rain, which was pouring down harder than ever on the windows.  
  
'Do you...do you really have no...parents, too?'  
  
Harry asked carefully, after a while. He was still studying her closely. Again, Mirabai looked up into Harry's green eyes, and after a few moments she nodded slightly, dropped her gaze and starred at the floor.  
  
'My Dad was...killed first...four years ago.' She said with much difficulty, through the silence,  
  
'Then my...mother, just - just recently.'  
  
Mirabai could feel tears tickling the back of her eyes, and her throat suddenly seemed tight. She looked up at the ceiling and blinked them back; the last thing she wanted to do was cry in front of Harry and Ron. She didn't want them to think she was weak.  
  
'I'm so sorry,' Harry whispered, softly.  
  
No body in the compartment seemed to be breathing, and they were still watching her closely. Mirabai wished they wouldn't. She knew they were all itching to know more; like who killed her parents and why, but no-one seemed to want to ask.  
  
Suddenly, Mirabai felt an arm around her shoulder, and she looked around to see Avery with her head resting lightly on Mirabai's shoulder, smiling up at her. The urge to cry almost overpowered her, and her eyes filled up with tears. She wiped them away fiercely, cleared her throat and said,  
  
'Can't we talk about something else now?'  
  
*  
  
But for the remainder of the trip, no body spoke much. Avery tried, and failed, to start up a conversation again before busying herself in the Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5, Hermione, too, was reading, while Harry, Ron and Ginny swapped cards from their chocolate frogs.  
  
Mirabai, however, merely starred, absent mindedly through the window, where the rain was still pouring and the wind howled stronger than ever.  
  
She was extremely glad when the train began to slow down, and finally come to a halt at a small train station.  
  
There came the sudden sound of students opening the train doors, laughing and talking excitedly, some screaming because of the rain, others jumping in puddles to splash their friends.  
  
'Come on, Mira.'  
  
Hermione said softly. Mirabai was surprised to hear Hermione call her 'Mira.' It was the name her friends used to call her back at her old school, and Mirabai liked it. It made her realise that Hermione really was one of her new friends now.  
  
Ron, Ginny and Avery had already left the compartment, so only Harry, Hermione and herself remained. Harry was standing in the doorway waiting, and holding the door open for them both.  
  
'You can leave your luggage here for now. They usually take it up to the dorms for us, that way we don't have luggage everywhere at the Sorting.'  
  
The Sorting. Somewhere under Mirabai's thoughts about her parents and her past, she felt a small ripple of nervousness and remembered that she, also, was about to be sorted. Mirabai wondered, as Hermione left the compartment, whether she would be sorted along with the first years in front of the whole school, or privately.  
  
Harry waited for Mirabai to pass him, before he slid the door shut and said softly  
  
'You OK?'  
  
'Im fine,' Mirabai replied, almost automatically.  
  
'You know, that's exactly what I tell people, when I'm really not fine at all.'  
  
Mirabai really had no idea how to reply to this statement, so she merely said 'Oh' and stepped off the Hogwarts Express and out into the freezing cold rain.  
  
*  
  
It was extremely hard to see anything through the heavy sheets of rain, and it felt as if buckets of water were being emptied repeatedly over their heads. The first thing Mirabai did notice, however, was a giant of a man in a huge sort of overcoat, who was holding a strong lamp and yelling  
  
'Firs' years this way! C'mon firs' years over here! Don' be scared now!'  
  
'That's Hagrid,' Harry yelled over the rain.  
  
'Woah, hes giant!' Mirabai replied, loudly.  
  
'Well, hes half-giant actually,' Mirabai saw Harry grin next to her. 'C'mon, we've gotta go this way, before we both drown in this rain!'  
  
And he grabbed Mirabai's wrist and led her in the opposite direction, away from Hagrid and the first years, and toward (she could just make them out through the rain) a long line of what looked like horse drawn carriages - only, without the horses. Mirabai had just realised that the carriages were probably drawn by magic, when Harry pulled her up into the closest one, and shut the door with a soft snap.  
  
He looked like he had just climbed out of a pool, and Mirabai guessed that she probably looked just as bad. She grinned at Harry and said  
  
'Nice.'  
  
'Right back at ya!' He laughed, and they sat down next to the window.  
  
So far, they were the only people in the carriage, but they were joined shortly afterwards by Neville, Dean and Seamus, who all greeting Mirabai and Harry happily and joked about how the first years would probably have to swim across the lake in this weather, rather than sail. They, too, were drenched to the bone and shivering.  
  
It wasn't long before their carriage gave a sudden wobble, and began the rocky journey up to the castle.  
  
It was a very slow ride, compared to the train, and Mirabai felt as if the carriage was about to be blown over by the wind at any given second.  
  
'You'll get your first look at Hogwarts in a second,'  
  
Harry told her after a while, peering through the window as the cart began to travel up a slight hill.  
  
And he was right. A moment later, the huge castle that was Hogwarts rose up in front of them, silhouetted against the stormy sky with its many lights shining through its many windows, sitting behind the lake, where the first years were attempting to make the traditional sail across it.  
  
* 


End file.
